Shoftim 21:01 · unit 9
TT #338 · Parashas Shoftim · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 21:01
The Complete Passuk
כִּֽי־יִמָּצֵ֣א חָלָ֗ל בָּאֲדָמָה֙ אֲשֶׁר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ נֹתֵ֤ן לְךָ֙ לְרִשְׁתָּ֔הּ נֹפֵ֖ל בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה לֹ֥א נוֹדַ֖ע מִ֥י הִכָּֽהוּ׃
If a slain person is found in the land that the Eternal your God is giving you to possess, lying in the field, and it is not known who struck him.
Chabad / Judaica Press
Source Citation
Torah Temimah points to Sotah 45b.
TT lemma: לֹא נוֹדַע מִי הִכָּהוּ.
Sefaria — Sotah 45b
Core Text of Chazal
Core Text
לֹא נוֹדַע מִי הִכָּהוּ – הָא אִם נִמְצָא הָהוֹרֵג, אֵין עוֹרְפִין.
English: ‘It is not known who struck him’ – but if the killer is found, they do not break the neck.
On the daf / in context: Discovery of the killer after the process has begun still affects the rite.
Type of Learning
Derash on later discovery (Bavli) — once the killer is identified the eglah is no longer brought.
What Is Learned
If the killer is discovered at any stage, the eglah arufah is not completed.